not sure where else to post this, but i think psychology seems appropriate. i've never actually posted here before.

i always thought getting staked would be kind of a nerve wracking experience. i don't even see it as "playing less of my bankroll for less pressure at a higher stake", but rather "i don't want to lose this person's money".

but even as a kid, having family / friends watch me play sports seemed to add more pressure than actually give me a sense of support, like i had to prove myself or not disappoint. so now getting staked as a poker player, perhaps this psychological handicap has reared its ugly head in a different form.

nothing of real note in the staking deal. i play at a local casino at a mid nlhe game. a regular saw a good opportunity at a higher limit game and asked if i would sit if she took 1/2 of me. i agreed, but i played like a vagoo. and i've played this game before with my own money and didn't play scared. and there were two giant fish i guess i didn't really take full advantage of.

also, i hadn't been running all that well in live cash over past few weeks, so that might have contributed.

anyways, maybe it gets easier over time as i "focus on playing my game" or whatever other cliches we can come up with. any people getting staked have any advice?

You need to take it one hand at a time. Make the best decision you can in every situation. If you can't play your game at those stakes, it's time to move down.

if you're staked into a game so you're playing scared and tight because you don't want to lose someone else's money, you're not playing your best game and you're gonna make that person lose their money.

Don´t know about cash games. But ive been staked to MTTs/SnG series alot with overall ROI+ and i think it really helps me play better than usual(actually if i would play for my own money it would be the same but i dont wanna jeopardize my bankroll). Just do not !!.. think about losing it cause it will break up your A game.

In the military we did this exercise on pressure.

we had a board 18 inches wide set three inches off the ground. The board was ten yards long and we had to walk across it.

This is an incredibly easy task, and out of 30 people everyone managed it with no problems, it was a timed task and once the 'go' command was given, the average time to walk across was 6 seconds. Hell, some of us even did cartwheels across.

Then, for the next exercise we had to walk across that same board but it was suspended 100 ft into the air (there was a net below).

three people fell, and of those that made it, the average time to cross (from the word 'go') was over 60 seconds.

What changed? It was the same board.

Pressure. Just because you have the ability to do something on the safe ground doesn't mean you have that same ability suspended 100ft in the air.

Same thing applies to poker.

Now, in the above exercise, we did that course multiple times and by about the fourth time, we all made it across under 10 seconds.

How did we do this? Multiple exposures, more training, mental preparation, and getting over the Fear Factor.

Same thing applies to poker. You need to build up your comfort level, mentally prepare, 'train' and get over the Fear Factor.

I'm currently getting staked in an EXTREMELY hard and rough game at my local casino. We play a $5*/*$10 Omaha Hi No Limit.....its fokin insane....

I know this pressure, but also, I play much better staked, than playing my own money. As you can see with the previous threads I've started, I'm the worse BR manager eva.

Just one thing OP, dont be afraid to lose the money, the staker ALWAYS know that its not a sure thang. You are gambling his money, you cannot ENSURE that you will win. He or she decided to stake u because she like how you play. Now you're letting her down because you're playing differently.

great quote, thanks.

Excellent post!! Never thought of it this way.

move up to where they respect your fragile mental state